A native of Tulsa, an Eagle Scout, and a National Merit Scholar, Dr. Blessing earned his undergraduate degree (summa cum laude/Phi Beta Kappa) from Emory University and his medical degree (Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society/Special Distinction) from the University of Oklahoma (OU) College of Medicine. He completed his internship at OU, followed by a residency in ophthalmology and a fellowship in ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery at the esteemed Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, Florida.